Obama, Boehner talk for an hour

Wednesday

Feb 26, 2014 at 12:01 AMFeb 26, 2014 at 11:08 AM

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner met for about an hour yesterday in a rare, one-on-one Oval Office discussion between two leaders who have fought bitterly during fiscal crises over the past several years.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner met for about an hour yesterday in a rare, one-on-one Oval Office discussion between two leaders who have fought bitterly during fiscal crises over the past several years.

The meeting seemed unlikely to lead to a breakthrough in Washington’s political gridlock, particularly leading up to the November midterm elections. The two remain at loggerheads on policies ranging from job creation to the implementation of the president’s health-care reform.

Aides to both men said they covered a lot of ground during the meeting, talking about at least 10 topics. But aides shared little insight into what, if anything, the meeting accomplished.

“They agreed that there is a lot of work to do the rest of the year, and it is important to work together wherever we can find common ground,” a Boehner aide said.

The two leaders talked about immigration reform, which Obama wants the House to pass. Boehner has said it is unlikely to get through Congress this year.

Aides said they also touched on Obama’s request to Congress for authority to fast-track trade deals, which has met with resistance from Democrats.

The conversation also covered a range of domestic issues, including manufacturing, flood insurance, California’s historic drought, budgets for fighting wildfires, funds for fixing highways and the appropriations process.

Both parties have scaled back their legislative ambitions this year ahead of the elections, when Democratic control of the Senate is at stake and Republicans will seek to expand their majority in the House.

It was the first time the two leaders had met alone in the Oval Office since Dec. 17, 2012, when they sought but ultimately failed to find a “grand bargain” on tax reform and spending cuts during deficit-reduction talks.

Carney downplayed the long gap and suggested that the two leaders talk more frequently than is publicized.

“We don’t read out every meeting and conversation that the president has,” Carney said.

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